SPECTACULAR ALL NEW JAMES HETZER'S INTERCONTINENTAL CIRCUS
With so much talk right now about Jimmy Hetzer's Procter & Gamble Circus-Ice Show I would like to post the program. Unfortunately I don't have it in my collection, so I'm posting the program for the 39th Edition of his, Intercontinetal Circus, maybe dpowhitetiger can come up with the exact year.
I also wish I could find the right words to describe Jimmy, & Mabel Hetzer, their just aren't any that say enough!
border="0" alt="" />
posted by 24-HOUR-MAN | 12:39 AM
6 Comments:
James Hetzer;
Also john Strong Sr could have been brothers. They both really loved the circus Business. One time in WV Mr Hetzer became hospitalized and in the turmoil my family did not get full compensation. Three years later on the KY dates last town while paying my mother, he said "Mrs Hall, Don't I owe you some money? " She mentioned the sum. Mr Hetzer hander her the amount and thanked her for waiting. A pleasant surprise. I had mentioned this to other performers who had the same experience. The moral to the story; You can be honorable and be in this business too.
Back when he had the Ashland Oil Co. Christmas Tours, we,(The La Blondes) preferred to work the independent shows he had, somehow it always was better for us. He had so much work for us we finally decided to Winter in Huntington, we stayed in a little trailer park on the West end. Any time we would go into town we would go to the office, and he & Mabel always found time to visit. They were great people, and believe me knowing them, & having them for friends sure made it worth being here!!!!
Jim Hetzer Memories: To this day I still miss that man..Just got off the telephone with Cathy Hetzer. I ask Cathy what year was the 39th Edition. It was 1974. Bill, thank you so much for posting the Hetzer pictures..I have bill posted 100's of the that particular Hetzer window card from the Enquirer Printing Company Cincinnati,OH. It was Jims special paper, odd size card that was hard to get merchants approval to post in their front window...I will never forget I believe it was Beckley, WV.I had scored a hit bill posting an entire parking garage in the downtown area that had huge clean windows. I was putting up the last piece of Hetzer paper when one of the City Officials approached me regarding my bill posting a city owned property...Needless to say in lieu of a hefty fine I took down every last piece of paper. Clarksburg, WV was probably the best town on the route to bill post Hetzer Circus..Next time I will tell the story on the time the Clarksburg floods came and completely flooded the area...No one could get into the armory and no one could get out..
Hi folks, This is my first posting, ..just checking to see if this posts...thank you.
Hello dear Circus friends,
First, what would we do without David Orr in the Circus world?!
It's such a pleasure to see these wonderful pictures on this blog, and they bring back many memories.
The above orange program was of 1977 (I'd like to give a buffer of a year...my son, baby clown, JT, was 3 or 4yrs. old) with wonderful people as you posted, including the admirable workings of my Dad, Jim Hetzer and Aunt Mabel Hetzer. How well I remember... long after the programs were hot off the press, to find us now looking at, and remembering such wonderful faces I'll always cherish with echoes of laughter and love. Nice to return to those, out here in cyberspace, and "now."
Regarding the Proctor & Gamble Oxydol Combined Circus and Ice Show, the year was 1969. It was the time Dad was frustrated on how to corelate the two enities of circus and ice (oh, so different!) I remember watching the walk on moon with him, in anticipation, "One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind." Without missing a beat, Dad slapped his knee like a shot in the night..."I've got it! I'll put a girl ice skating on an elephant's back!!" Oh my gawd...."Dad...you are working waaaay tooo hard!" He did it! And it came off beautifully as ringmaster, John Baldwin (then married to beautiful Maria Berosini, Vino's sister) emoting a "first of firsts" when the curtain opened and out with a floating controlled walk, entered the elephant, Marie, trained extensively by dear Bobby Gibbs, who wore out the phone lines on late night talks with Dad. Great demeanored Marie was injesting much cotton candy as the "prod" in training, with the little ballerina ice dancer fearing what an elephant can do...never seeing one before! When I asked Dad, why does John announce Marie and Antoinette as the name of the act, he explained that the elephant's name was Marie, and what better match with such a pretty combination. Although the ice skater wasn't named Antoinette, Dad started with the real star, Marie! The ice dancer was, at one time, married to 7'6" clown, Buck Nolan, and Dad put the wedding in center ring with he and Blinko (Ernie McClain)as best man. The ice skater was barely 5ft tall and to Buck's belt buckle..but choosing her small size, was intentional for the act...making Marie all the more emense in size. A great visual. When handsome John announced Marie & Antoinette, the curtains parted pouring dry ice clouds with the swelling of the orchestra and the site of this extravagantly attired elephant, the trainer and little ballerina ice dancer appeared. Simply, it drew a gasp and awe throughout the audience, as a controlled and floating elephant walk (I've never seen since) entered with pride, elegance and grandeur. Here were the makings of this once in a lifetime achievement, showing the intertwining love, trust and training of animal and human kind, and all for the entertainment of showing so with such grace and dignity. Entertainment made memorable. Members of the audience knew they were seeing something magnificent, and were hushed with wided eyed reverance.
Dad asked orchestra leader, talented Clem Toca, to silence the music once the balancing and well behaved sweet Marie, reached her mark. It was then that the little ice skater was not to show her nervousness, not ever seeing an elephant in person prior to this training, and perform with fluid style and femininity. You could hear the clicking of her ice skates as Marie posed in an elegant styled freeze, "leg up." I can still hear Bobby, looking trim and debonaire...either cussing Marie with threats below his breath, or sweetly baby talking to her (maybe about that cotten candy)and all without ever moving his lips. That was a feat for Bobby, in itself!!
The silence continued until the slow walk exited thru the velvet curtains, and after completed ....a most thunderous applause, somehow made it all worthwhile. What work, what patience, what creativity, what history! Funny. Back then, it was taken as "a good run." Never to accept or think that our dear business would be where we are today. So special, it was. (and is.)
I loved traveling with the James Hetzer's circus. It was 1983 and 1984 and I met many wonderful people. I miss those days! Kathy Rogers was terrific. Limpko's chimps were funny, Diana's foot juggling was great, Conklin's magic (I worked with them!) Vivno Berosini's sword balancing. My buddy and I would entertain the acts after hours by making a mock of everyone's act. I loved seeing jim Hetzer laugh at our bits.
Jeff Boyer
Post a Comment
<< Home